I have grown a full beard for the last three years in a row. I mixed it up a bit this year by starting and ending earlier. I typically started after Thanksgiving, but I had been on such a tear riding my motorcycle to work I thought starting early would be a good idea. Unfortunately my commute was a little too scary at night for my tastes, and I’ve been driving my car back and forth to work. I also got a TON of feedback this year, since I am in a “real job” now and see tons of co-workers every day. I also see about a dozen or so fellow gaming dorks once a week. Opinions ran the full spectrum, from disgust (“it covers up your enviable bone structure and it makes me crazy”) to one lass throwing herself at me (you know who you are).

I don’t know if it was a combination of those things, or just not wanting to wear a face sweater any more, but I cut it off last week.

Behold, the winter 2008 Beardaggedon.Round 1: Full facial
You can’t tell from this picture, but almost all of my red hair has turned white. Not gray, white. I didn’t mind, but it has been weird watching my secondary plumage color go from one color to another over the years.

Round 2: Obligatory hatchet photo
The Norelco beard trimmer with no guide makes short work of my facial forest.

Round 3: Baa-baa black sheep
I still really like how I look with a goatee. I thought about keeping it for about a minute or two, but then decided against it. Like I said last time, it’s a pain to properly maintain a goatee. You not only have to trim it down, but you also have to shave the rest of your face and neck. Too much work. Plus you can still smell what you ate hours later.

Round 4: Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeebird
I skipped this step this spring, and boy am I glad I decided to make a half-way point between the goatee and the porn star. I contemplated keeping this MUCH longer than the goatee. If I didn’t work in a completely stuffy financial institution I would have tried it out for a few days.

Round 5: An extra for “Deadwood”
That’s right, cocksuckers! It’s the porno-stache again, although I think I look a little more Tombstone than Backdoor Sluts 9.

Round 6: The Tom Selleck
Magnum, P.I. was canceled long ago, and so was this look.

Round 7: (Mostly) clean-shaven
In writing this post, I reviewed the picture I took of myself after I shaved everything down. I didn’t like it. I hadn’t shaved yet and there were patches of fur I’d missed with the Norelco. I don’t really have a current picture of myself totally clean-shaven, so this one from work will have to do. There’s about eight hours or so of regrowth here:

Will I grow a beard again next year? Maybe. If you asked me the same thing in the spring (during the regularly-scheduled Beardaggedon) I would have said “hell yes.” Now, I just don’t know. We’ll see. 😉

I did say that but I’m not disgusted by it. I just think you have a lovely visage and am sad to see it disappear under a coat of fur. I understand the practicality of it, but it still makes me sniffle.